In a big shift from current precedent, Disneyland has announced that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will be breaking from the land’s timeline. That means iconic characters from the franchise will all be roaming around in Batuu. In this post, we’ll share the details of what this timeline breaking includes and add our commentary throughout.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened in 2019 and planned to be immersive at all costs. That included sticking to a timeline – the land exists between episodes 8 (The Last Jedi) and 9 (The Rise of Skywalker). At the time, this was en vogue for immersive, IP-driven theme park lands. Some would say that is still the case. But for Galaxy’s Edge, that meant no Luke, Han or Leia. Darth Vader wasn’t alive for the land. My man, Jar Jar Binks, was nowhere to be found! Okay, no one was clamoring for that last one.

Now Disneyland has reversed course and I’m guessing that Hollywood Studios isn’t far behind. Beginning April 29, visitors will be invited to immerse themselves in different points of the Star Wars saga in Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland park with characters and storylines that capture the heart of what draws guests to this galaxy far, far away. 

There were signs of Galaxy’s Edge changing course before this. The biggest of these came last summer during Season of the Force with a young Luke Skywalker in Batuu. The Mandalorian and Grogu loosely fit into the Galaxy’s Edge timeline but there were some holes to pick at, if that’s your thing. With this change, a number of new and iconic characters will be wandering around.

Where You’ll Find Star Wars Characters Throughout Galaxy’s Edge

Darth Vader’s search for Luke Skywalker will bring him to Batuu. This Sith Lord will be joined by Imperial Stormtroopers. As they seek the elusive Jedi, they may find hints of the Force around the outpost. This is a Jedi Council level of incompetence because they could just read this blog post to find out where Luke is.

Luke Skywalker will roam the outpost seeking knowledge of the Force and artifacts related to lightsaber building, kyber crystals, and more. He may be looking for some power converters too. Leia Organa may be spotted near the Millennium Falcon, where she’ll recruit travelers and locals to help keep Luke safe. Han Solo also will linger around his prized ship, tempted by the local cantina.

These iconic heroes and villains of the Star Wars saga will join familiar faces you may see now in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge like Ahsoka Tano and The Mandalorian and Grogu near the marketplace.

The beloved starship mechanic and fighter pilot’s assistant, R2-D2, will also continue to roll through the land.

The forested area on the outskirts of Black Spire Outpost will continue to represent a time inspired by the Age of the Resistance. You may find Rey around this Resistance camp which fits in well with Rise of the Resistance right next door. It appears that the market and areas around the Millennium Falcon will drop the timeline while the Resistance area will stay true to the attraction. This news doesn’t mention Kylo Ren and I will be curious to see if they drop him from the list of Galaxy’s Edge characters.

Hear John Williams Music Throughout the Land

Another addition to this reframed Galaxy’s Edge will be more classic scores from the movie. As you take in the towering remains of petrified trees that create the skyline of Batuu, you’ll be further transported into the world of Star Wars with the addition of beloved scores from legendary composer John Williams, pulling themes from the first six films.

Passing through the tunnels of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the iconic “Main Title” and Force Theme will beckon you to a galaxy far, far away. As you wander through the land, you’ll hear motifs from other classic tracks including “Han Solo and the Princess,” “The Desert and the Robot Auction,” “The Emperor” and more.

And of course, the lively tune “Cantina Band” will be heard from within Oga’s Cantina. In the era of the Galactic Civil War, proprietor Oga Garra only recently opened this watering hole, which is already becoming a popular spot for intergalactic travelers.

The last sentence there (from Disney) is interesting. It appears that they’re reframing Oga’s story. I’m curious if this will be part of a larger overhaul. Oga’s has lost some popularity in the last few years and a change would be an interesting move. I’m hoping we’ll hear more details about this.

As for the John Williams score being added, I think this will make this land feel more Star Wars-y. That is clearly the intention. I love the soundscape in Galaxy’s Edge currently so I’m hoping that won’t be completely abandoned but I do think this move will make the area a bigger draw to fans.

Shopping, Entertainment, Dining & Attraction Changes

As Batuu’s history is represented with more storylines, there will be some updates to buildings and shops throughout the land. First Order Cargo will transform into Black Spire Surplus, a military salvage operation offering artifacts from across the history of the galaxy, including Imperial and Rebel items from the Galactic Civil War.

Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities will display a different array of one-of-a-kind items from its past. The curiosities and artifacts in his shop certainly change with the times.

An earlier generation of the Mubo family will operate Droid Depot, where they will be prototyping the BB style of droid. You’ll still have the opportunity to purchase and create your own droid companion at this shop.

In his search for information on lightsabers and the Force, Luke Skywalker will be interested in meeting with Savi. You may continue to have the opportunity to purchase and build your own lightsaber under the guidance of Savi’s Gatherers.

Along with that, attractions and shows will have room to expand. I’ll start calling for it now, after the Mando and Grogu run with the Falcon then it’s time to go blow up the Death Star on Smuggler’s Run. That is the single best way to revitalize that attraction.

Any nighttime show will be able to feature different eras, as well. It’s as if Disney opened up an entire catalogue to themselves with this move instead of being stuck on the same page for a few years. There are different stories to explore now.

Final Thoughts

Is this change an indictment on the previous ‘stick to a timeline’ plan? Yes and no. Obviously, Disney feels like they need to give Galaxy’s Edge a boost. And they’re right! The area is the quietest part of Disneyland most evenings even with having one of the best rides. While I love the current, soon to be old, version of the land, it wasn’t as far reaching as it could be.

But I wouldn’t call it a failure. Imagineering looked to make an immersive and living land that would fit inside of the Star Wars timeline. They weren’t the first to try this. Universal’s Harry Potter areas all have a distinct setting in mind. Heck, Cars Land and Avengers Campus have a place and time too. The issue with Galaxy’s Edge is that Star Wars has a wide range of characters over 9 (or 11) films. The most iconic of those characters are in 3-5 of the movies. Harry, Hermione and Ron are in all of the Harry Potter books and movies, Fantastic Beasts notwithstanding.

Maybe Disney overestimated the impact the newer trilogy would have and underestimated how much guests would want to see Darth Vader, Luke, Leia and Han. That’s a fair critique. But I wouldn’t call the ambition that the land opened with wrong. It was a worthy shot.

With all of that said, this is absolutely the right move for Galaxy’s Edge. I expect Disneyland to be somewhat careful in how they introduce these new characters to different areas. They still want the land to be immersive. But the easiest way to “turbocharge” this land is to give it the full Star Wars reach. Wrong franchise but, rules are just guidelines.

Personally, I like Star Wars but have a lot of problems with the franchise. But seeing R2D2 roll around Galaxy’s Edge always was a thrill. Now, there will be more iconic characters walking around. While I like sticking to a theme and story, this land isn’t going to be worse because of going with a suspended time approach. The architecture still looks Star Wars esque regardless of which trilogy you’re thinking of. Next to no one is going to think less of the area if they see Darth Vader walking around instead of Kylo Ren. The majority of people would be more excited.

We’re eager to see these changes take place. While I loved the quiet nights alone in Galaxy’s Edge, hopefully a change can bring some more popularity to the land. That would help Disneyland as a whole. We’ll cover how these changes are implemented on April 29th. “Time doesn’t exist, yet it controls us anyway.”

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